A number U.S. patents which relate to the production of benzene/toluene/xylene (BTX) mixtures from various feeds have issued.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,942, Cattanach, Sept. 4, 1973 discloses the preparation of BTX from a C.sub.5 to 250.degree. F. feed using ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,024, Cattanach, Sept. 18, 1973 discloses the preparation of C.sub.6.sup.+ aromatics from C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 paraffins or olefins using ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,501, Kaeding, Nov. 27, 1973 discloses BTX preparation from olefins using ZSM-5 in the presence of oxygen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,330, Givens, May 28, 1974 discloses aromatizing olefins in the presence of easily cracked paraffins to produce BTX using ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,968, Givens, Aug. 6, 1974 discloses a two step process for preparing BTX from olefins using ZSM-5. C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 olefins are oligomerized to C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 olefins which are then aromatized.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,740, Mitchell, Oct. 22, 1974 discloses the preparation of BTX using a two step process and ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,913, Brennan, Mar. 23, 1976 discloses the preparation of BTX from alkylaromatics having nice or more carbon atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,568, Rodewald, Nov. 29, 1977 discloses the preparation of low molecular weight olefins and p-xylene from alcohols using ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,367, Haag, June 27, 1978 discloses the preparation of BTX from olefinic naphthas and pyrolysis gasoline using ZSM-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,910, Chu, Oct. 17, 1978 discloses the preparation of C.sub.5.sup.+ aromatics and BTX by aromatizing ethane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,293, Plank, June 5, 1979 discloses a method for preventing the loss of zinc from Zn-ZSM-5 during the preparation of BTX from C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 paraffins and olefins.
A survey of the background art shows a failure to recognize the process of the present invention. The benzene content of the BTX products is typically much less than 50%.